Cambridge University's vice chancellor could get his eyewatering salary cut

Installation of new Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope in October (Picture: David Johnson)

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

The head of the new regulatory body for higher education has vowed to crack down on excessive pay levels for university vice chancellors.

Sir Michael Barber, chairman of the Office for Students, which starts operating next year, said the body would expose pay levels that do not match an institution's performance.

The newly-installed Vice Chancellor of Cambridge, Prof Stephen Toope, is paid £365,000 a year. He has insisted the salary is "reasonable".

Sir Michael told BBC Radio Four's Today programme: "We have powers as the Office for Students to get into value for money - vice chancellors' pay, senior staff pay, is one key aspect of value for money. And people are interested in that.

"I have said publicly to universities and to vice chancellors, the best form of regulation is self regulation. See among yourselves where the pay packets stand out and see whether you should reduce them."

Read More

Prof Toope previously told the News: "People don’t understand how a vice-chancellor’s job has evolved. I am essentially responsible for £1 billion a year turnover, 11,000 employees, 19,000 students, and am in the lead to complete a £2 billion fundraising campaign, which means I am searching for all possible sources of income, while developing the international reputation of the university, working with business, government and civil society to develop partnerships, while being responsible for operations and the entity of the university."

Professor Stephen Toope, Cambridge University's new Vice Chancellor

Sir Michael said that universities would still have the independence to set their own pay rates.

"We aren't going to interfere directly with university autonomy which is fundamental to the success of British universities."

You can keep up to date with all the latest news in and around Cambridge by downloading our free app. It is available for the iPhone and iPad from Apple's App Store , or the Android version can be downloaded from Google Play.